Combined light and horn system



Dec. 18, 1951 w, BRELSFQRD 2,579,292

COMBINED LIGHT AND HORN SYSTEM Filed D60. 31, 1948 LIGHT SWITCH l-loau 14 swrrcH SELECTOR. 5 wn'cH 12 *LFG(HIGH SwrrcH Resvusw:

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Patented Dec. 18, 1951 UNITED STATES rAreNroFFICE Harry W. Brelsford, Pasadena, Calif. 7 Application December 31, 1948, Serial No. 68,547

My invention relates to electrical systems for vehicles and has particular reference to a combined headlight and horn combination.

It is well known that vehicles, especially automobiles, employ headlights that may throw a beam of light near or far by the operation of a switch. Thus, for city driving a near or low light is employed, while for highway use a far or high light is employed to illuminate the highway at a distance commensurate with the higher rate of speed. The throw of the light is generally controlled by dimmer switches which may bev conveniently operated, for example by a ratchet type rotary switch actuated by the operators foot.

While less widely used, horns of different sound intensity are employed on automobiles, a soft horn being employed for city driving and a loud horn being employed for highway travelto overcome the louder motor and air noises encountered at the higher speeds. These horns may be selectively operated by switches disposed at a point near to the driver, for example on the dash. Such a switch must be manually activated, thus resulting in inconvenience and requiring the operator to take one hand off of the steering wheel.

In attempting to devise a more suitable control for two tone horns, I was struck with the relationship of high light and loud horns. Immediately I seized upon the idea of combining the. horn and the light controls. In carrying out my invention, loud horns are used on the highway when high lights are desired, and soft horns are used in the city when low lights are desired. The problem of daylight travel does not complicate matters unduly inasmuch as light and horns have separate off on switches.

My invention, therefore, includes the. controlling automotive horns by tying the control mechanism to that for high and low lights. Further, my invention includes'an electrical switch system that carries out the foregoing in a simple and effective method. This apparatus may include a double selector switch having a single actuator member and preferably is activated by the operator's foot. The lights may be connected to one part of the selector switch and the horns may be connected to the other part. Actuation of the selector to one position places the circuits in condition for operating high lights and loud horns. Actuation of the selector to .the other position places circuits in condition for operating the low lights and the soft horn. A refinement may be incorporated in the form of a telltale to indicate the condition of the selector switch.

It is therefore an object of my invention to 34Cla-imS. (01, 177-7) provide operation of headlights and two tone horns whereby the two are interrelated or complementary in operation.

Another object is to provide an electrical circuit for complimentary operation of two position headlights and two tone horns on vehicles.

A further object is to provide such a circuit with a telltale to indicate the condition of selection of the circuit.-

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent in the following description and claims considered together with the accompanying' drawing forming an. integral part of this specification and in which:

Fig. 1 is a simplified schematic of a basic electrical system embodying my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a more detailed wiring diagram of the circuit of Fig. 1 and illustrating a simplified type of rotary switch as the selector switch of the circuit. Referring to Fig. l, a battery i0 is illustrated as a source of power for the circuit inasmuch as this is conventional in present day automobiles which mayemploy' my invention. A generator, transformer or other source of power could well be used, however. One terminal of the battery may be grounded as at H, for example, to the metal frame of an automotive vehicle, and the other terminal may be connected to a branched conductor l2, one branch passingcurrent to a horn button or switch I3 and the other to a light switch [4. The horn button l3 may be disposed at any suitable position, for example at the top of the steering column, andthe light switch 14 :1 may be located at the. dash or other readily acces'sible point in an automobile;

It will be appreciated that the horn button and light switch are normally open and therefore closed only when the operator positively actuates them. A conductor from each of these switches may lead to a selector switch It that is constantly closed in onev position or the other. This selector switch is provided particularly in accordance with my invention and may have a light blade L and a horn blade H that are simultaneously moved by a mechanical actuator IS indicated by broken line and by a cap 16A.

The selector switch [5, maybe a double pole, double throw switch, and conductors I! and it may be provided for the blade L that lead to a high light l9 which has a high light beam or throw, and a low light 29 which has a low light beam or throw respectively. The electrical circuits are completed byconnections to ground at each light. Two conductors 22 and 23 may likewise lead from blade H to a loud or high intensity horn 24 and a soft or low intensity horn 26 respectively, which also may have connections to ground to complete the circuits.

In the operation of the circuit of Fig. 1, the switch is normally closed at one position or the other. While the switch is shown as closed to the low light and soft horn, it could just as well be illustrated in theother condition as there is no normal position for the switch. The fact that the switch is closed does not cause operation of either the lights or horn. When the operator closes either or both switches l3 and 14, then the lights or horns or both will be operated.

When driving at night in the city, the operator will usually have his lights on low and the switch l5 will be in the position indicated. If he has occasion to use his horn, the soft horn will automatically be sounded. If a loud horn is desired, he merely operates the actuator 16, and closing the horn switch l3 will cause current to flow through blade H and conductor 22 operating the loud horn 24. The high lights will be on, but this will scarcely bother an operator who wishes to use his loud horn in the city.

When driving in the city in the daytime, the soft horn will usually be employed and the condition of switch l5 as illustrated will pass current to horn 26. A loud horn may be employed by actuating switch l5 and the lights will not be affected since the light switch l4 will be open during the day.

When driving on the open highway at night, the switch l5 will be actuated to cause the blades L and H to be in condition to pass current to conductors l1 and 22 respectively. Thus, when the horn is sounded, the loud horn 24 will be energized. When cars approach from the opposite direction, the operator will normally dim his lights by actuating the selector switch l5 and the horn will accordingly be soft. Horns are normally employed on the highway, however, when passing another car when none are approaching from the opposite direction, and hence the loud horn will be available when a horn is needed during normal driving procedures.

The placing of the switch I5 at the floor or other place where it can be quickly operated without interfering with the driving gives an extremely switch control of the horn as well as the lights, so that any emergency can be quickly met. The use of two tone horns permits the use of a highway horn that is louder than present horns, which are necessarily a compromise between a suitable intensity for town and highway. The soft horn makes city driving less irritating and aids in reducing the general noise level.

Illustrated in Fig. 2 is a more detailed wiring diagram embodying my invention. It is well known that a single headlight is capable of different beam positions by employing two filaments having different positions with respect to the reflector and the light lens. Also it is well known that two intensities may be obtained from a single horn by employing two difierent windings that may be selectively energized. These two structures are accordingly illustrated in Fig. 2. Also, it will be appreciated that the most practical type of selector switch is a rotary switch operated by a ratchet, and in which the various contacts are established by means of rotary plates or fingers. Because of the difiiculty of illustrating such a switch, however, a simplified rotatable bar mechanism is illustrated which activates several double contact switch blades as well as a make-and-break switch blade.

Referring to Fig. 2, a. battery IOA may supply current to a horn switch 13A and a light switch 14A. Also, the battery may supply current through a conductor 21 to a switch element SI of a rotary selector switch I5A, which element when closed energizes an incandescent lamp 28. Conductors 29 and 3| lead from switches 14A and 13A and connect to switch elements S2 and S3 respectively of the selector switch I5A.

Disposed in conductor 21 of the condition light 28 and in conductor 3| may be a double switch including switches 32 and 33 responsive to the ignition lock of the automobile. The switches may be normally open and may close only when the ignition of the car is on and are ganged to operate together. In this manner there will be no inadvertent use of current by the condition light, and also there will be no accidental noise or battery drain due to the horn when the car is not operating.

Switch element S2 may be a two contact switch for operating a headlight IBA. This headlight may be of the conventional two filament type, for example, a top filament 34 may be used for extended or high lighting and a bottom filament 36 may be used for retracted or low lighting. Switch element S3 is likewise a two contact switch energizing alternatively a top winding 37 or a lower winding 38 of a horn 24A for producing loud and soft horn noises respectively.

The illustrative switch 15A may include a rotatable bar 4| of angular cross section, preferably square. It may be rotated by a ratchet wheel 42 axially connected thereto and rotated in turn by a reciprocable member 43- having a pivoted finger 44 attached to the bottom. A weak spring 40 may urge the finger to the perpendicular position illustrated. The member 43 may have a button 45 formed on the top thereof for engagement by the operators foot, and a spring 46 may bear against this button to urge the member upwardly. The bottom end of the spring 46 may rest on a stationary support 41. The blades of switch elements SI, S2, and S3 may bear against the angular bar 4| and are thus efiectively ganged.

In the operation of the circuit of Fig. 2, upon starting the automobile, the ignition responsive switches 32 and 33 will close, thus delivering control of the horn 24A to the horn switch I3A and delivering control of the condition light 28 to the selector switch I5A. In the illustrated position of the selector switch 15A, the low light filament 35 and the soft horn winding 38 will be connected and upon the closing of switches [3A or I4A, the soft horn or the low lights will be energized. The selector switch may be pedally operated, imparting a downward movement to the member 43 and causing finger 44 to engage a notch in wheel 42. The downward movement will end at the position illustrated in broken outline, effecting a 45 rotation of the bar 4|. This rotation will dispose an edge of the bar at the top, as shown in broken outline, lifting the blades of switch elements SI, S2, and S3 until the upper contacts are engaged. The compression spring 46 will return the member 43 upwardly to its starting position, the finger 44 deflecting downwardly as weak spring 40 yields. When the starting position is attained, the finger 44 will clear the wheel 42 and will assume its perpendicular position as shown.

The high light filament 34 is accordingly placed in a condition to be energized and the loud horn winding 31 is also placed in condition for operation. This condition of readiness is indicated by the light 28 which may be a red light, for example, placed on the dash at any convenient point. The operator is accordingly appraised at any time that the ignition switch is on of the condition of the selector switch I5A by the lighting or nonlighting of lamp 28. When the operator closes switches MA or ISA, the high lights or loud horn will be operated.

I am aware that various switching combinations between lights and horn have been designed, particularly so that the horn will sound to call attention to a special warning light. I do not know, however, of any interconnection between loud and soft horn and headlights, although multi-tone or intensity horns are, of course, very old.

It will be obvious to those skilled in this art that various modifications and additions may be made to my invention. For example, pneumatic horns could be employed in which case the control would include a valve coupled to the light control. Also, flame lights could be employed with any type of horn and these lights could be controlled by a selection of jets or by mechanical operation of the reflector or light mounting.

I claim, however, as part of my invention, all variations which fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A horn and light system for automobiles comprising: headlights having two throw beam lights; a horn having two sound intensities; a manual light switch, a manual horn switch, and a selector switch located for pedal operation to connect a high beam of the lights and a loud intensity of the horn for operation in one phase of selection, and a low beam and low intensity for another phase of operation.

2. A horn and light system for an automotive vehicle comprising: a distant throw electric light; a near throw electric light; a loud intensity electric horn; a soft intensity electric horn; a source of electrical energy; a light switch; a horn switch; a selector switch having two ganged switches operable alternatively on two contacts; first conductors extending from the source to the light and horn switches; second conductors extending from these switches to the selector switches; and third conductors extending from the selector contacts to the horns and lights and,

connected to place the distant throw light and the loud intensity horn simultaneously in an electrical circuit for operation and alternatively to place the near throw light and the soft intensity horn in an electrical circuit for operation.

3. In a vehicle having lights of a plurality of throws and horns of a plurality of intensities, a circuit for interconnected control comprising: a source of energy for the horns; a manual control for operation of the lights by controlling power flow from the light source; a manual control for operation of the horns by controlling power flow from the horn source; and a selector for simultaneously establishing a distant throw of the lights and a loud intensity of the horns in a condition for operation, and alternatively establishing simultaneously a near throw of the lights and a low intensity of the horns in condition for operation, whereby the selected light throws and horn intensities may be separately energized by operation of the associated manual control.

4. In combination: a source of high beam light; a source of low beam light; a source of high intensity noise; a source of low'intensity noise; a ganged controlswitch for selectively connecting the high beam and high intensity sources in one position and the low beam and low intensity sources in another position; a manual control for the light sources; a manual control for the noise sources; and means for energizing all of said sources and subject to control by said switch, whereby the high light and high intensity noise may simultaneously be placed in condition for operation and alternatively the low light and the low intensity noise may be simultaneously placed in condition for operation.

HARRY W. BRELSF'ORD.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 956,898 Hutchison May 8, 1910 1,043,703 Hutchison Nov. 5, 1912 1,783,718 Kayeyama Dec. 2, 1930 OTHER REFERENCES Ser. No. 287,416, Schrender (A. P. C.) published May 18, 1943, 

